Vampire Next Door
by ImpassionedWriter
Summary: Adrenaline pulsed through my body and I considered the possibility of my theory. Finally,… I blurted out as lowly as I could,"Are you a vampire?" -It's an old story of mine- in progress. But I'm sure you will love it :)
1. Chapter 1

I was standing in the spotlight on the dancefloor; time seeming to slow to a near painful crawl.

How could he abandon me? When everyone was watching.. 203 unsympathetic witnesses? That was the worst case scenario of every girl's high school dance and here I was living it. But what hit me the hardest was that there hadn't even been an explaination. No forewarning that my date was going to just walk away. In fact, I thought he was having fun. We were talking and laughing and I let him get closer to me than anyone ever had before.

After a few awkward minutes the silence was fading, as people started giggling and whispering to each other while openly staring at me. After all, the hottest guy in the school had left the dance to chase after the hottest girl... and his clueless date was still standing in the middle of the gym.

I would have laughed, too... If it wasnt me.

Realizing that this was going to make me the joke of the entire school, I tried to move, but my feet didn't seem to want to obey. So I stayed frozen, a living statue in the middle of the gym. My red dress rustled as people spun past, once again focusing soley on their date, and not on the girl all alone in the midst of everything. I was becoming part of the background-Losing the spotlight.

No longer under the leering eyes of my peers, I let my mind race back over what had happened...

Rick, the blonde Cassanova of Saint Cloud High was known to socialize only with cheerleaders, preps, and sluts. So, you can imagine my suprise(shock, really) when he asked me to be his date to the next dance. I had had a crush on him since we were in Elementary school, so of course I said yes right away. I knew it was strange, but at the moment I kept making up excuses for it.

Maybe he had turned over a new leaf?

And he made it easy to believe.. he had a way of putting things that made them seem like the most natural thing in the universe.

He had picked me up at my house in his red convertable and been the perfect escort. But everything was set to go wrong from the start. When we got out on the dance floor for the first song, he spotted his ex-girlfriend watching us. I looked, too, and she caught my eye. Her arms were folded and the glare she shot at me was enough kill.

Then she spun around and stalked out of the gym.

I expected Rick to just ignore her since she was seeing Brad, another upper classman. But, to my horror, he suddenly let me go and and chased after her.

My mouth dropped open and I looked around dumbly, at the other kids. It was embarrassing enough for little ol' me to be dancing in the middle of the crowd with the hottest guy in school.. but it was even worse to be abandoned by him. Not to mention the way it felt when his warm hands left me and every little fantasy I had imagined for tonight just evaporated; leaving me empty and alone.

Maybe I was dwelling too much on it? Maybe I had opened up too much of my heart, foolishly, to this boy... How could I have expected not to get hurt?

The room went blurry and tears slipped over my cheeks. Hastily, I wiped them away. I wouldn't let him get to me like this.

I looked around the room to see if anyone had seen.

Most of the other kids were dancing, or eating, or just talking to their friends.

Then, I caught the eye of a boy leaning against the wall across the room, in the shadows. Had he been there before?

His shaggy black hair was slicked back and he looked eerily like someone from the Renaissance. He stared directly into my eyes, and I felt a blush creeping up my neck to drape itself across my cheeks. His arms were crossed and his eyes held me like a pin.

All of the sudden, he dropped his arms and started across the floor to me. My heart tripped and started hammering in my chest.

"Keep a grip on yourself, Mazia," I told myself,"He's probably just going to tell you to get out of everyone else's way."

But he came to a stop directly in front of me. Then, to my suprise, he bowed low and asked quietly,"May I have this dance?" It wasn't quiet in a shy way, but in a very private way; for my ears alone. As if I were any other beautiful girl, besides just plain old weird me. Still, I managed to stutter a response and he placed a cold hand on my side. I felt gooseflesh blossoming on my skin from his touch, and slowly put one hand on his shoulder and the other in his open palm.

We began to dance smoothly, almost as if we were totally in rythm; and for once, I didnt stumble. Several people watched us, but I found ignoring them was suprisingly easy for once. I stared into his deep crimson eyes and we danced like that for a long time; or at least it felt that way.

I lost track of time and too soon the chaperones were bidding us all goodnight. I slipped out the door with the rest of the crowd and hastily walked to the parking lot. I looked down at my feet while I walked.

Then I heard a noise and looked up.

And froze in my tracks.

There, at his red mercedes, was Brad, all over his ex...or rather previous ex. Their mouths were moving together, tongues tangled, and his hand was sliding up her thigh.

I spun around and stumbled as quickly as I could in the opposite direction.

Turning the corner of the building I slammed my back against the wall and slid down, letting my tears run free. I tried to stifle my sobs. I had only had a crush on him-Why did it hurt this much?

My mind spun out of control and a strong dark and beautiful temptation pulled at me. Cutting.

But.. but I was trying to stop... I couldnt fall back now. Besides, I didnt have anything but my fingernails and they were bitten short.

Suddenly a low voice broke through my sadness. "Are you all right?" I started and quickly wiped the tears from my eyes, undoubtedly smearing mascara across my face, and stared. It was the guy that had danced with me! He had parked over here in the shadows.

"Umm, yeah." My voice was hoarse and I had to clear my throat and repeat it. He looked at me doubtfully. I stood up, smoothing out my dress, and eyed him defiantly.

Then he asked me if I needed a ride.

"Oh. Oh no, I can manage. Thank-you, though." I stuttered.

He gave me a look and asked,"How are you going to get home?"

"I'll..."

At that moment it occured to me that I had no escort to speak of, no friends to drive me, and no money to take the bus.

But I was NOT getting in a car with a stranger. No matter how many times we danced.

"I'll walk." I said, tilting my chin up, trying to keep every ounce of dignity I had left on the surface, masking how flustered I was. Even though I dreaded the thought of walking all the way home in my red strappy heels, I wasn't going to accept his offer. No matter how handsome he looked in the bright moonlight.

He looked at me, silent, for a few moments and suddenly, in a blur of movement, had me by the elbow and was ushering me to the car.

My blood turned to ice and terror gripped my heart. "Hey!" I protested, but my strength was no match for his.

Should I call for help? Or should I just go with him and hope maybe he wasnt going to rape or kill me?

Before I could decide what to do, we were both in the vehicle, with the doors locked; so I couldn't try to escape.

"This is called kidnapping, you know." He ignored me and instead asked, "Where do you live?"

I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him. He returned my glare with an even more vicious one. Finally, I spat out my address and he began driving.

When I told him where I lived his eyebrows rose. That bothered me to no end.

Frustrated, I glared out the window. Dark outlines of houses and trees streaked past in a blur. My breath fogged up the cold window glass and I soon got bored of sitting in the silence. I huffed loudly and turned his CD player on wondering what kind of music he listened to.

My eyes widened as I recognized the song. "You listen to Warpaint?" I asked, suprised. He kept his eyes on the road and replied with a short, "Yes."

Regret washed over me when it occured that I might have been overreacting a bit.

"I-Im sorry, about the way I acted before." I said, looking down, "I really am grateful to you for saving my butt. From the dance AND the long walk home." I spared a glance up and saw that his posture was more relaxed now.

I smiled casually and asked, "Why _did_ you rescue me anyway?" His cool attitude faltered and I could see a look of pain streak onto his face. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. "I hate to see people suffer." He said flatly.

I turned back to the window when I noticed his stiff posture had returned. I also felt suprisingly disappointed by his apparent lack of interest. The only reason he had helped me was because I was someone who was in a bad spot. Although, I had to admit it was a bit chivalrous anyway.

An awkward silence filled the car again and I was glad when we finally pulled into the driveway at my house. I got out quickly and turned, "Thank you for bringing me home... uhm..."

"Kurt." He supplied.

"Right, Thank-you, Kurt. I'm Mazia by the way." In case we ever meet again.

He raised an eyebrow at the mention of my name. But after seventeen years of introductions I was used to odd reactions like that. "Goodnight." I said.

Without waiting for a reply, I closed the car door and made my way quickly up the driveway, onto the porch, and into the safety of my own home.

Later that night, after I had finished crying over my failed 'perfect night', I looked out the window at the moon. A dark figure caught my eye in the yard across the road; but when I looked again it was gone.

* * *

My own story. My own characters. :)

Hope you enjoyed, there will be more to come XD

BTW- The particular song I listened to while writing this is: Stars~Warpaint

Hope you enjoy it, too :)


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning disappointingly unrested. My feet were still sore from the heels; which I was deffinately never going to wear again.

I struggled to stand up and shuffled my way to the bathroom. I glanced in the mirror. Being a restless sleeper, I was used to the haggard morning look. But this was the worst yet.

My hair was piled in uneven tangled bunches on my head, loose ends sticking out everywhere. Dark circles lay under my eyes and my skin was even paler than before, leaving me with the appearance of someone very ill. My eyes, however, were still the same blue, no matter how clouded they were from sleep.

I often wished I didnt have to sleep, it usually left me even more exhausted than I was before. Something about 'restless legs' and a blood problem.

School was in about half an hour and I hurried as fast as I could to make myself presentable.

Our school, Saint Cloud High, held dances on week nights; which was ridiulous if you ask me. It was as if they wanted us to be exhausted in the morning. Maybe we were easier to handle then?

I clomped downstairs in my black boots.

My stepmother, Vanessa, looked up from her newspaper, took in my outfit, and said, as she did every morning, "You're wearing that?"

Her disapproving glance quickly took in my loose ponytail, long sleeved black T-shirt, and black jeans. Hey, what can I say? The color suited me.

She preferred bright sophisticated colors, though. The difference between us was all the more obvious when she stood up.

Her daily look consisted of a bright pink colored buisness suit and matching pointy high heels. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she wore a bit of makeup to complete the outfit.

She paused to tell me that breakfast was in the toaster, then she left for work.

I watched her go and wondered when things had first started changing between us.

We used to go out together for manicures, and shopping, and coffee at the nearest Starbucks.

But that had been before my father died.

Vanessa had married him after my birth mother took off. My life was at it's best when we were all together. We had all fit together like peices of a puzzle, finally complete.

Then, when my father was away on a business trip, the plane he was on crashed; and that perfect puzzle fell apart.

Vanessa had taken a job at a law firm to pay the bills.

And, alone, I found myself sinking deeper into nothingness. The routine of my life was pretty much all a blur, I even lost track of what day it was sometimes.

It continued like that until a week ago when the boy I had had a secret crush on asked me to the Fall Dance. I was ecstatic. But even that happiness wasn't meant to last.

I grabbed the two peices of toast out of the toaster, looked at them doubtfully for a few minutes, and dropped them in the trashcan on my way out the door. Slinging my backpack over one shoulder, I made sure the door was locked and walked down to the sidewalk.

I tried to swallow the nervous lump in my throat as I realized that some of the kids at the bus station had spotted me and were giggling to one another, probably remembering my abandonment the night before.

I let my shoulders droop and wished I had worn my hair loose so it could act as a veil.

The wait for the bus seemed an eternity long.

When it finally stopped, the brakes howling in protest, the other kids boarded quickly. I climbed on in silence and tried to ignore everyone's stares.

Then I slumped down into an empty seat and stared out the window.

The bus lurched forward, when the driver was sure everyone was seated, and voices filled the air again.

Behind me, I caught part of a conversation. I knew I shouldn't be eavesdropping but something about what they were saying made me listen.

A strained voice whispered to someone, 'That's the one from the dance last night, remember?"

Another hushed voice replied,"Really? SHE'S the one?"

"Yeah."

"Why would Brad ask her out? Mandy practically announced to the school that she was going with him."

I frowned.

Mandy was Brad's ex. Why would Brad ask me out, when he had to have heard that she planned to go with him?

I tuned back into their conversation and heard, to my horror, "Apparently he just wanted to go with her to dump her there like that. Afterwards, I saw him making out with Mandy by her car."

Fury stained my cheeks red as it all finally clicked in my brain.

Brad had invited me to the dance in the first place just to dump me! That son of a-... He had ditched me for Mandy and now everyone knew it.

What I didn't get was why it was me he chose to humiliate like that. Me, who had never gone to a dance before in my life. Had never openly paid any attention to him; or done anything to warrant that kind of suffering.

When the bus pulled up to the school I saw him talking and laughing with Mandy and her crew by the steps. I would have to pass them to get into the school.

Dragging it out as long as I could, I waited until everyone else was out before I got off.

Without missing a beat, I marched right forward, hoping to blend in with the last of the students from the bus. But, unfortunately, they all gave me a wide berth.

Just when I was only a few feet away from the entrance and thought I was going to make it, some of Brad's jock friends stepped in my path.

I tried to go around them but they blocked my way, grinning. "Brad wants to talk to you." One of them said.

People were starting to stare now and I felt my cheeks turning red.

Then a shadow fell across me from behind and I turned around to face Brad.

He towered above me. His blonde hair was tousled and his bright blue eyes swept over me, a grin tugging at his full lips.

"Hey, May." He finally said, when he was through looking me over. I pursed my lips, unable to find my voice. "I just thought I'd explain 'bout the incident at the dance."

I stiffened and his smile widened with sick humor. "See, I heard you had the hots for me so I thought I'd, you know, give you a thrill by asking you out. Now obviously someone like me couldn't be seen with someone like you, you see the problem there, right? So anyway, I figured I'd save my rep and go enjoy myself at the same time. You understand? The bit on the dancefloor was just spur of the moment. Mandy was getting a bit impatient. Hope you weren't too embarrassed."

My voice rushed out with anger, "I understand, all right, you lumbering jock. I understand that you are just another mannerless idiot who enjoys being an ass to people. And for your information I would rather sleep with a dwarf than go anywhere with you!"

He snorted, "You didnt seem to think that way when I asked you out. You couldn't say yes fast enough."

My teeth snapped together and I slapped Brad with all the strength that came roaring to life in my fury.

He staggered back and I took the chance to shove past his friends and stomped into the school.

On my way up the steps I caught the eye of someone standing there.

It was Kurt.

* * *

:3 I have a crush on Kurt :) 3

... "I would rather sleep with a dwarf"? Where'd she come up with that one o.O

Three R's! 3 (Read, Review, and Read on!) You know, I'm going to tell you a secret.. Reviews are the only thing that keep me writing ;) ..Okay, thats a lie-I write because I want to; But Reveiws help! :3

(Song I listened to writing this: Angel-Aerosmith)


	3. Chapter 3

Minutes later, I was in the bathroom, tears running down my face.

It wasn't fair.

How could Brad do something so cruel like that in front of everyone? Why did he think he could use me for his own amusement. And why, oh why, couldn't I think of a better comeback?

And, more importantly, who had told him of my crush in the first place? I didn't think anyone knew. There wasn't anyone for me to share my secrets with... I was truly alone.

The emptyness that had stolen my heart when my dad had died, snaked along my body, making me feel numb. It was worse than feeling pain. It was like a black hole in my soul and I could feel it trying to pull me in. Some days it felt like I was barely hanging on to sanity.

Unable to hold back the longing need anymore, I fumbled through my pockets until my hand closed around the desired item. A broken piece of glass.

Pulling my left sleeve up, I squeezed my eyes closed, forcing out tears, and dragged the glass across my arm. It hurt enough to pull me back to reality.

I focused on the uncomfortable feel of warm blood running across my cold skin. I hated that sensation, but it would keep me anchored.

I opened my eyes when I felt the emptiness receding and slipped the glass back into my pocket.

I got some tissue and applied pressure to the wound. When the bleeding stopped I pulled the sleeve back down, wincing as it brushed the new cut, and walked out of the bathroom.

It was so late that my first class had already begun. Which was gym.

Not wanting to go into the gym so soon after the dance and facing all the emotions the memories in there held, I was silently grateful that I didn't have to take that class. I was severely anemic-which also contributed to my exhaustion- so I wasn't supposed to overexert myself, as I had a way of doing in gym.

I handed the teacher my excuse and went to the library.

It was quiet and secluded here, a place I often went, even after school, to kill time reading. It was an escape that I actually found pleasure in.

I dropped my backback and sat down in my usual corner chair, hidden from anyone else's veiw and opened my latest addiction; Twilight.

Vampires were just so cool, and Edward was a dream come true.

I soon got lost in the pages of the romantic novel and didn't notice the person standing beside me; until he leaned down to look at the page I was reading.

I jumped and sqeaked in suprise.

Kurt stared intently at the words on the page. Bella was just telling Edward that she knew he was a vampire.

"I think," Kurt suddenly said, breaking the silence,"I wouldn't have let it get to that point if I was so worried about her knowing. But then," He continued, "Maybe he wished deep down that she knew. And when she finally did he overeacted because he sort of blamed himself. He felt guilty for wishing it would happen and for being so careless, as he would then have to deal with the consequences."

I stared at him. I usually just read the book and accepted it without considering any underlying feelings and going in depth.

Kurt turned to look at me,"What do you think?"

I grasped for words and finally choked out- not sure if it was on topic-,"I think that if it were me, I would want him to be honest with me in the first place, without all the double standards and evasive comments."

His brow furrowed. "Double standards." He repeated.

"When they are first getting close he wants to know everything thats going on inside her head; everything about her. But he brushes her off when she wants to know about him." I explained.

"Well, you have to admit he has a secret that changes the balance. So it's not a very fair comparison at all."

I glared,"Did you need something?"

His eyes flickered to mine and then back to the book, "I just thought maybe you'd like some company."

"Thanks but no thanks," I frowned, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure about that?"

His eyes remained on the book but he wasn't looking at the words anymore.

I flipped the book down in my lap and said,"Yes."

He looked up at me and said, "I'm sorry about what happened out there."

I stood up and rudely spat, "I dont need your sympathy."

He rose and stared deeply into my eyes. I felt my heart flutter. "You need a friend." He stated matter-of-factly.

The attraction once again gone, I rolled my eyes and turned to go, "No, I don't."

He grabbed my wrist and in one fluid motion, pulled my sleeve up to reveal my cut arm.

"Are you sure about that?"

I stared at him, wide-eyed,"How did you-?"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a realization slammed into my mind. He fit the pattern described in the book...

The red eyes, the swift movement, the oppressive attitude, the strength, and he was openly struggling to keep his eyes on my face and away from the bloody wound on my arm. Though, really, who could blame him.

But still...

Adrenaline pulsed through my body and I considered the possibility of my theory.

Finally, I blurted out as lowly as I could, "Are you a vampire?"

* * *

O.o Woah, hold on there, girl. Jump to conclusions much? /face-palm "She never learns"

(Song for this one- Forgive Me~Evanescence)

Also, an apology for the mention of self-harm, *spoiler-note* I don't think she'll do it again. So, don't be disturbed, just bear with me :) And a special thanks to BaconCupcakes and her sister! I dedicate this chapter to them, if they'll have it. :3


	4. Chapter 4

Kurts mouth fell open when the words left my mouth.

He dropped my arm like it was on fire. "WHAT?!" He said.

"I-I mean, it's just- you were- and- the..." I stuttered, fearing I was way off mark. He was obviously different from the other people in this school, but maybe it was something else?

He regained his composure and said, "No, I'm not a vampire." In a lighter tone he added, "I just want to help you."

Once again, resentment welled up, "I don't need your help. You already did your saviour bit. I'm no damsel in distress, I dont need to be rescued!"

My voice had gotten kind of loud and a ''Shhhhh!'' was issued from the woman at the front desk.

I turned and stormed out of there.

What was it with guys? If they weren't making fun of you they were thinking you were some retarded girl who couldn't even walk home.

I didn't like to be pushed around. That was the fact of the matter. I hated being lorded over and told what to do. Belittled and underestimated. It made me mad quicker than anything else did.

Looking at my watch, I saw that gym class wasn't even nearly over yet. If the day was going to be the same as what I had experienced so far I certainly didn't want to stick around.

So I decided to ditch.

Making sure no one saw me, I quickly slipped outside and down the sidewalk.

The dark clouds looming in the sky did a good job of blocking out the sun and stifled any second thoughts about what I was doing. People glanced at me with varying expressions; from wary to lofty.

I shut them out and concentrated on my destinations as they came. First the corner, then the tree, then the street crossing.

After a while, I began to notice that my surroundings were looking less and less familiar.

Glancing around, I saw there were very few people; most of which were huddled together in doorways smoking goodness knows what. But I kept walking.

If I didn't bother anybody they wouldn't bother me. At least I hoped that was true.

All of sudden I heard heavy footsteps behind me. Ice seeped into my veins.

I kept my eyes up, trying to stay calm. I turned random corners and changed direction several times, without looking back, but still they followed.

Now I was beginning to panic. I tried to remember anything about self defense I had ever seen or heard, but nothing came.

In a moment of cornered-animal-madness, I broke into a run.

The footfalls behind me quickened. I was being chased! I prayed that the running wouldn't cause me to faint because of my bad blood.

_This was just like what happened to Bella!_

What?

I wondered where that thought had come from.

I tried to push it from my mind, however, because Bella was only saved by Edward. I had no Edward to save me. And it was looking less and less like I would ever get a chance to find one. At least not before this person caught me.

''No! I can get out of this.'' I told myself.

Then I heard a voice. "Mazia!"

It was Kurts voice!

But which direction had it come from?

I screeched to a halt. Before the guy behind me could stop, he crashed into me, sending us both to the ground.

I pushed up, trying to get him to roll off of me but he was heavier than I thought he would be.

Then he lifted up, bracing himself on his hands. Out of the corner of my eye, I recognized that long pale hand. Twisting my head to the side, I looked up and saw Kurt staring down at me.

"What are you doing?!" I practically yelled. Now that I knew it had been him all along, following me, I was mad.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He retorted,"You can't skip school like that! And coming here?! What is wrong with you?!"

Now, I was really mad. It wasn't any business of his where I went, when, or why. He didn't get to weasel his way into my life just because he had come to my aid once before and knew one of my secrets.

"I'm waiting for you to get off of me."

He didn't move. I was starting to get embarrassed about how this might look.

"Not until you tell me what's going on with you."

"That's my business." I pushed up again as hard as I could.

He stopped my pitiful escape attempt easily by grabbing my wrists. Then he leaned down and supported his weight on his elbows and said in my ear,"Tell me what's going on and I'll let you go."

"Nothing's going on."

"Nobody cuts themselves and skips school because of nothing."

"You already know why I cut myself."

"Because of a little confrontation with Brad? It shouldn't be that important. This is more than that."

I huffed loudly and growled, "I don't like to be bullied."

He thought about that for a moment and said, "But letting that jerk control your emotions like that? Can't you just let it go? Read some self help books or something?"

I glared back at him as best as I could, "There's nothing that's going to make me any less resistant to bullies. And for your information, I think it's good I don't let myself be pushed around. Independence is a severely rare attribute."

"There's a difference between standing up for yourself and what you do." He stated.

"What difference?"

"To name one, you have no friends. Could it be that you think having someone who knows you better would be giving them a position of control over you?"

I hesitated.

Was that true? I had never thought about it like that before. Maybe I just didnt want to think about things that made it difficult to believe the person I was was okay?

"To name another," He continued, "You cut yourself because some stupid guy had the power over you to make you look like a fool. You can't go through life this way, Mazia. It's not fair to anyone else or yourself. You can't be in control all the time; it's not possible."

"So what do you think you're going to do about it?" I asked, thinking I'd run him into a corner.

Not true.

"I'm going to teach you patience, trust, and self control."

* * *

:3 You can teach meee

Heehee, this seems like the beginning of a manga plot XD

(Song-Courage~Superchick[dont ask])


	5. Chapter 5

I went back to school with suprisingly only one class missed.

I told the teacher I had gotten sick and she let me go without much trouble.

The rest of school was boring. Except for those moments when someone would point, and giggle something about Brads 'great prank', as it was now being called. Apparrently my school was the one that void of even an ounce of compassion.

I was nervous, as well, about what Kurt had in mind in the way of 'lessons'.

He hadn't tried anything last night, but that didn't mean he wouldn't today. Boys couldn't really be trusted when it came to that sort of thing.

I waited anxiously for the bell, and when it finally rang, I bolted outside, hoping to reach the bus before Kurt caught me. He knew where I lived, but if I could get there first I could barricade myself inside.

My plans were crushed when I saw him waiting by the bus for me.

How had he gotten there so quickly? His last class was on the other side of school. (He had compared our schedules to see what we had together; thankfully, nothing.)

He smiled when he saw me and sauntered forward. Then he tried to take my hand, but I pulled back.

His smile faltered, then returned full force when he said, "Lesson One: Trust."

I tried to refrain from rolling my eyes and reluctantly followed him to his glossy black car.

I suppose I could tell my mom about him and she could get a restraining order put out; but he kind of had a feeling about him that made me wonder if it would do any good. Plus, something good might come of these lessons. And if not, at least I was spared having to face the kids on the bus and their hissed comments about my outburst today.

As he drove, I wondered absent mindedly how he planned to teach me these things.

We kept silent, avoiding looking at the other.

Finally the car slowed and I glanced out the window.

"Home sweet home." He said, as we pulled into the driveway.

I took a closer look and suddenly horror and shock had my heart pounding as I recognized the familiar building. To confirm my suspicion I climbed out of the car, which was now parked, and stared.

Just as I had feared, directly across the road stood my house.

"We're- We're neighbors." I said in disbelief.

"Yup," He smiled devilishly,"Now you can come visit me any time you want."

I turned to him slowly, eyes still wide. He had to be kidding.

Now I knew why he had reacted when I told him my address last night.

He laughed at my expression and took my hand, pullimg me into his house before I was aware of what was happening.

By the time I finally recovered myself, we were inside.

I looked around and saw, to my suprise, that it looked completely normal. But strangely so, like someone had found a picture of an average modern house and had replicated it. Everything looked fake and posed.

I couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong.

I glanced around again and noticed that Kurt was no longer in the hallway with me. He sat on the couch now, with one leg resting on his knee and his hands behind his head.

I stepped closer and saw that his eyes were closed and his head was tilted back. I took the oppurtunity to take in my surroundings more fully.

"Go ahead and look around all you like." He said, eyes still closed.

I scanned the bookshelves and found a wide variety of literature. To my dismay nothing granted me further insight to what Kurt was like.

Bored, I turned back to the couch and saw that Kurt was watching me. His eyes looked darker in the dim light and something in them sent a rush of ice through my veins.

I stumbled around the room and settled myself down into an armchair across from him. "Soooo, lesson one?" I reminded him.

He stared at me a minute longer and I felt a slight blush sliding across my face.

He blinked hard and leaned forward, "Lesson One B: Patience."

My brow furrowed and I raised my hand.

He half smiled, "Yes?"

"I thought lesson one was trust?"

"That's a unending lesson. Trust has to be earned and that's going to take awhile."

"Oh." I nodded slowly.

I lowered my eyes to the carpet and caught a blur out of the corner of my eye.

My eyes flashed back to the couch as Kurt stood up quickly and strode over to me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up.

"Wha-?" I stuttered.

He turned me around and forced me over the back of the chair, my hands now captured firmly behind my back by his.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" I stammered.

He held both my wrists in one of his cold hands and leaned over me slightly, his head propped up by his free hand and a teasing smile on his face, and said, "I'm teaching you patience."

* * *

:3 Kurt's so cute. I really think Mazia should lighten up and enjoy him. But she refuses to do what I say -_-

This chapter is dedicated to Miss Impossable as a thanks for her amazing works o ;) I know my chapters are short, but I hope you'll enjoy! :)

(All Around Me-Flyleaf)


	6. Chapter 6

"This is ridiculous!" I said, heat searing my cheeks, "Let me up right now!"

He just smiled and shook his head, making his hair dance slightly.

I felt the anger bubbling up inside of me and tried to twist out of his grasp. "Let me go right now you perv!" I growled, my temper taking over once more.

"We've got to finish the lesson." He said, slightly amused by the direction my attitude was taking.

"Screw the lessons." I said angrily.

He didn't let me go. No matter how hard I tried to wrench free, his grip on my wrists didn't give.

I silently wondered how he could have this much strength and not have a hoarde of muscles to show for it.

My thoughts flashed back to vampires and their incredible hidden strength. But if Kurt were a vamp would he use his strength so obviously? Maybe it was like he said about Edward and he secretly wanted me to know? Begging with every telltale action for me to catch on.

I chided myself for these absurd fantasies, as my anger rose up again with staggering force. I again pulled at my wrists trying to break free, feeling as if the mad heat would smother me if I couldn't escape.

"Just let me go." I pleaded, trying to reach his soft side.

Evidently he didn't have one. "Say Uncle." He commanded.

"No."

"C'mon it could be over so quickly. It's not even that hard."

"Saying 'Uncle' is submission not patience."

"Hmm. Well, you could stand to learn both."

I growled something about teaching him a few things when he suddenly released my wrists. I straightened up in a hurry, before he could get hold of me again and spun around to face him.

His face was dark and for a minute I was frightened again.

Then he brightened and said,"There. Was that so hard?"

I frowned at him.

Then I turned and stomped to the door.

He reached for my hand again but I jerked it away.

"I don't think we need to meet again." I said bitterly and started to open the front door. This was a stupid waste of time; and humiliating on top of that.

His fist slammed into the door and forced it shut with a bang.

I stumbled forward, my hand still on the door handle.

"I think we should do this again tomorrow. Same time, same place." Kurt said.

I glared at his fist on the door, a bit timid and said, "Different lesson, though."

"Same lesson." He challenged.

I turned and forced myself to look him in the eye. "Different lesson or I won't come." I countered.

He looked into my eyes again, testing my resolve. I noticed now that his eyes were actually were darker than they had been before; if only somewhat.

"All right." He said, after a long pause, "Different lesson."

I held back a victorious smile and turned again to go.

"Mazia," He said.

I looked back at him and practically stopped breathing. His face was just inches from mine.

"Try to be careful, okay?" His voice rang with concern and I wondered what he was worried about.

Before I could ask, he lifted his fist from the door and started back for the living room.

I watched him go, even more convinced that he had a some sort of secret. And no matter what it was, Vampirism or something else, I was going to find out what it was.

Tonight.

* * *

Shorter chapter, I know. But I need the rest for the next chapter and it's, like, 4:37 AM. *~*  
(A Little Bit Longer~Nick Jonas)


	7. Chapter 7

As I crept through the bushes in Kurt's front yard later that night, I wondered if I was mentally impaired. I mean really, what kind of person would sneak around in the dark outside their neighbor's house searching for proof that he was a vampire?

Just because he was queasy about blood, was probably on steroids, and had eyes the color of red velvet...

His skin was cold and pale...

So what?

I sat back in the damp grass and picked at some clumps of dirt. Why did I care anyway? He had rescued me once. The rest of the time he was humiliating me and pissing me off. I mean what kind of relationship was this? And where could it possibly lead? The only outcome in my favor would end up with me losing it completely and killing him. Why didn't I just tell him to leave me alone? There was a slight chance that he would listen to me.

I exhaled loudly and ran my hands down my face, frustrated. They left a cold wet trail on my skin.

I looked down and, sure enough, they were covered in mud. I rolled my eyes up and let my head drop.

Then I heard Kurt's front door opening.

I crawled hurriedly under some bushes and peered out at the porch.

A dark slim figure slid out of the shadows and looked around. I reached up to pull back some stray branches blocking my view and grabbed a thorn instead. "Shit!" I hissed.

In the dim light I could see a drop of blood welling up in my dirty palm.

I heard a sniffing sound and looked up, horrified. Sure enough, Kurt was sniffing the air in my direction. "_Oh, crap._" I thought.

When you're on a vampire hunt bleeding probably isn't the best idea. Unless you're the bait, that is.

My pulse quickened, which probably was bad enough itself. I felt like my whole body was lit up neon and screaming 'Im here! Im here!'.

There were no street lights and the moon kept disappearing behind the clouds, so I lost sight of Kurt for a few moments. But when he was spotlighted once again by a pool of moonlight, he hadn't moved an inch. Not that I could tell anyway.

Suddenly, it struck me how ridiculous this all was.

I felt a hysterical giggle bubble up in my throat. I clamped my hand over my mouth and hoped he hadn't heard anything. My hopes were in vain, however, because he crouched and cautiously crept over to the bushes where I was hiding.

My heart froze.

It was creeping me out how his eyes seemed to gleem, even in the dark, and they seemed to be staring right into mine.

A few feet away he stopped and breathed deeply.

I silently wondered if he recognized the scent of my blood.

I stayed still for a few minutes, unable to take my eyes off him. Then he made a strange gutteral noise and groaned, straightening up. I breathed in sharply through my nose and held it.

"You can come out now." He said.

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

Mission failure.

I crawled, head down, out of the bushes in front of him and slowly staggered to my feet, legs sore from staying in the same position so long. He crossed his arms and frowned down at me, one eyebrow raised at my appearance. I racked my brain for something to say.

"Hi."

Oh, just kill me now.

He looked down at me, eyes narrowed, and replied, "May I ask what you were doing in my yard?"

"May I ask what you're doing outside so late?" I tilted my head, what could he possibly say? All he could give is some flimsy excuse; I had him.

"I thought I saw someone prowling around."

"You did not! You weren't anywhere near the windows!"

He raised an eyebrow. I blushed.

"What were you doing here in the first place?" He prodded.

"Well- I.. only.. wanted.. to check and.. see if your.. bushes were... okay..."

Kurt sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why dont you go back to bed, Mazia? I assure you the bushes are fine." He laughed slightly on the last word.

I would have given anything at that moment to take everything back. Everything I had tried to say, the whole stupid idea of doing this in the first place; everything. All I had done was make myself look even more foolish. And I still hadn't gotten any solid evidence of vampirism.

Of course, I didn't believe that he saw me out here and that's why he came out.

My suspicion was consuming. Everything that he did, everything that he said, just convinced me more.

I bit back my accusations and, instead, turned and marched across the street.

I slammed the front door behind me and then turned and peeked out the window.

He was still in the yard, watching.

The moon went behind another cloud, throwing the world into darkness. When it came back out, he was gone.

I hesitated. Should I go upstairs and give up on the whole thing? Or should I risk his wrath and try to find out the truth?

It was now or never. I couldn't let this chance slip away from me.

* * *

Y-eah, EPIC Mission Fail there-Now, about 5:30 AM -Anyway, hope you enjoyed. you'll love the next one I garantee it X3 Three R's now-Read, Review, Read on333 You know I love you. Okay, crazy tired now. g'night

(Nobody's Home~Aril Lavigne3)


	8. Chapter 8

How would I even be able to find him?

I racked my brain for anything that might be helpful from Twilight; which I had finished earlier for more insight on vampire/human relationships. They seemed to work out fairly well; although at first, I was a bit concerned about Bella's injuries.

But I had finally decided that I _had_ to know.

No matter what.

I shut the door and remembered that the Cullen's mostly hunted animals in remote places.

The most private spots around here were in the forest, which was about a mile away and was goodness knows how large. Finding him in there could take all night, and the next day, and night, and so on.

Then a very disturbing thought came to me.

Kurt had red eyes.

Which meant he ate people; if the book was correct, that is.

It was easy to imagine, but at the same time, hard to believe. He had sought out a relationship with me, as twisted as it was, but unless he had plans to eat me, I didn't see why he would get so close. He hadn't made an attempt to bite me yet anyway. It was certainly worth the risk to know..

But still...

I shook the concerns off and started running.

His eyes hadn't looked that dark, so he was probably eating a precautionary snack, so he wouldn't be tempted to chew on someone later. He probably wouldn't go far then.

I knew I shouldn't be running, but that didn't really matter right now. I didn't care about anything other than knowing Kurt's secret.

But why? Why was I so overwhemingly fascinated with it? Why had I let another person have that much influence over me again? Enough, even, that I would risk my life to know what he has to hide.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears and I began losing focus on the path in front of me.

The moon certainly wasn't supportive of my quest.

I slowed down and braced my hands on a nearby tree, looking around. I had made it to the forest suprisingly quickly, but once I had stepped inside everything looked the same. No matter how far I ran, I couldn't see any way out. The only thing I was doing was managing to get myself deeper and deeper in the heart of the forest.

And what's worse there hadn't been any sign of Kurt. Though, I'm sure he was probably quite a bit stealthier than me, there should have at least been some sort of trail to follow.

I sagged in defeat, barely able to keep standing.

This was so stupid.

Kurt was probably in his house asleep by now, and I was running around in the woods completely lost.

That thought brought the hysterical laughter back and this time I didn't hold it back.

I laughed for almost a minute before it occured to me that there was no humor in it.

The smile slipped from my face and tears suddenly pricked my eyes.

Was I so desperate for something in my life to be more than it seemed that I would do this? Everything in my world had been cruel and empty for a while now... And that was just the way it was.

Was it the human desire for a mystery that drove me to this foolishness? Did curiousity compel me to long for something different? Or was I just desperate for something new? As if I had any reason to think that I was so special to deserve life to just hand me one of its precious secrets.

I squeezed my eyes shut and wiped away the tears. Any desire to search for Kurt in these woods was gone; I just wanted to get home and fall into bed.

Forcing my legs to move again, I started through the darkness in what I hoped was the right direction. The minutes crawled by, silence only interrupted by the squishing sounds my shoes made in the mud. At one point I tripped over a root. But I sighed, righted myself, and continued walking.

Then I heard something that made my hair stand on end.

A high pitched sqealing noise split the air.

Instantly, I sank down in fear and prayed that whatever it was wouldn't find me. The noise kept on for a moment and then abruptly stopped.

All of a sudden, it occured to me that it wasn't the sound of a predator but, rather, something being attacked.

Chills ran down my body. Something was out there... hunting.. Something frighteningly real. A wolf? A bear? Were there panthers around here?

I briefly considered sneaking away; but what if I made a noise and drew it to me?

So I stayed frozen and scared in the cold mud. There were no more sounds for a long time.

I started to think that maybe the creature was gone already, but then I heard something in the pitch black in front of me.

My body started to tremble, causing my feet to slip in the mud, and I fell back on my butt.

Using my hands to stay upright, I faced forward, eyes wide.

Then it stopped.

Just out of sight behind a nearby tree.

A low growling reached my ears and goosebumps spread down my arms. What should I do now? Just sit here? What if it attacked me? My mind was frustatingly void of answers.

Then something came back to me... If you are threatened by a bear you should back away slowly, to show that you aren't a threat.

Or was that only for a certain type of bear?

And what about playing dead?

My eyebrows knit together. What should I do?

Gathering my courage, I began to lift myself up slowly.

The growling intensified and I froze.

When it got quieter, I started again, even more slowly this time.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, I was standing fully upright. At least I hadn't slipped and fallen back down again. I breathed deeply to slow my heartbeat.

The moon chose that moment to come out from behind the clouds and I could see clearly the thing that had scared me so badly.

The thing that had hunted me and now held itself back, braced on the tree.

I stared in shock at Kurt's glorious, frightening, blood covered face.

His eyes glinted and I could see the pressure from his hands beginning to break the tree's bark. I started to step back slowly and he lunged forward, snarling, held back only by his grip on the tree. I stopped and stood perfectly still. As still as I could, at least, while shivering.

I was terrifed. Obviously, my suspicions about Kurt's vampirism had been correct. Right when I gave up... Talk about timing.

But.. how was I going to get out of this alive? Kurts instincts were in full control right now and there was absolutely no way I could protect myself.

Now I knew why Edward wouldn't let Bella tag along... This was deffinately something you wouldn't invite your soulmate to...

Adrenaline pulsed through my system, making my body ready to fight or flee. But both of those responses would result in my death very quickly.

Self hate consumed my mind. I was stupid for this. If I had actually thought it out before, I would have known this would be a problem. And now I had not only put my life in danger, but I had uncovered Kurt's most guarded secret. He would no doubt hate himself for that; and me for being so obsessive.

Plus, after he killed me, he would feel guilty about that forever, too. This was undoubtedly the worst mistake I had ever made. Part of me wished he would kill me and get it over with. The other part was scared of the pain of death and whatever lay beyond.

I stared into Kurt's deep red eyes and waited.

And waited.

But nothing happened.

He just glared right back and stayed where he was, panting. I also understood now what Bella meant when she said _"If looks could kill..."._

I was about to lose my mind, when, suddenly, he let go of the tree. I shut my eyes tightly and braced myself.

But, instead of the attack I had expected, I felt his iron grip close around me and lift me off the ground.

Suddenly we were moving. My eyes flew open and I gasped. He was running!

I held on for dear life, heart racing, and struggled not to faint. This was nauseating. And yet, also very exciting.

All too soon, street lights started whizzing by and I knew we were back in the real world.

Then he stopped. My mind spun, trying to catch up with what was going on.

He let me go and before I could even see straight again, he was gone. I tried to take a step forward, but stumbled. So I stopped, swaying, until my balance returned. Then I blinked several times and looked around.

I was standing in my yard.

Hastily, I glanced across the road to his house. The lights were off, but I knew he was in there.

I walked across the road and onto his porch. Then I knocked on the door and waited.

I knew this was me being weird again, but, hey, I do that.

There was no answer at the door so I pressed my ear up to it.

Straining to listen, I could hear faint breathing on the other side. "Hey, let me in." I said, knocking a second time. There was still no answer. "I know you're in there, I can hear you breathing. We have things to talk about."

"Go away." Was the cold reply.

"C'mon, let me in."

"No."

"So I know your secret, big deal, just let me in so we can talk."

The door cracked open a bit. "You're lucky I didn't kill you! What is wrong with you that you would do something like that?!"

I tried to push the door open more, but it wouldn't budge an inch. "I had to know.. I already suspected it, and you knew that! If you didn't want me to find out then why didn't-"

"I didn't think you would follow me into the woods! What does it take to keep a secret from you- Total isolation?!"

I was a offended but pressed on, "I just needed to know, now I do... So let me in and-"

He cut me off again and growled menacingly, "You aren't welcome anymore, don't ever come here again."

The door shut firmly and no matter how hard I tried it wouldn't open again.

I huffed and went to my own house. After changing out of my muddy clothes, I got into bed and attempted to sleep.

Worry kept nagging at me.

Surely he didn't mean what he had said...

Did he?

* * *

Song: I Hate Everything about You~Three Days Grace

Three R's ^^ 3 ILY! :D


	9. Chapter 9

After a lot of thought, I decided that maybe I should try pretending nothing happened. It seemed liked an okay idea, and if it didnt work then maybe we could just get things resolved. Plus, I did have those annoying lessons to get to.

So when I had finally gotten up the nerve, I went back to Kurt's house. This time the door opened easily. I crept in quietly, shutting the door gently behind me. I pressed my hands on the handle, sqeezed my eyes shut, and prayed that it wouldn't creak. The door softly clicked shut and I turned to sneak down the hall.

But instead I found myself facing Kurt.

He glared menacingly down at me. "What are you doing here?" "Just thought I'd pop in for a minute." I squeaked, caught very much off guard. "You aren't welcome here anymore, remember?" He said pointedly. I swallowed my fear and lifted my chin defiantly, shooting a glare back. "You forced me into taking these lessons. You cant just back out now." "As a matter of fact, I can. Especially after what you pulled last night. Someone should check you into a mental facility."

I stepped back, stung by his sharp words. How could he speak to me like that? I was brave enough to come over here after what I had seen last night, wasnt I? I hadnt told anyone either-Not that they would believe me anyway. But the point was, I had overlooked the fact that he was a sadistic, immortal, blood drinking lunatic and came to see him...

Maybe I did need help...

No... he was just being a jerk. At least I hadn't freaked out or tried to find a werewolf to protect me from him. And here he was kicking me out! Not that what I did last night was all right, deffinately not. But it wasnt entirely all my fault, how dare he try to make it that way!

My fists balled up and my body hummed with adrenaline and resentment. "Now listen here," I spat, with as much venom as I could muster,"YOU'RE the one who pulled me into this. YOU made the first move. And the second. And the third. Like you said before-If you hadn't wanted me to find out, you wouldn't have let me get this close in the first place. But I am, and I know what you are. The damage is done so just man up and deal with it!" I breathed hard, seething. His face hardened. Then he leaned down so his eyes were level with mine and spoke, trying to hold back his anger, "Do you know how I would have to deal with this if I were to handle it the way I'm supposed to? I would have to kill you."

My eyes widened in shock. Silence claimed the air and we just stared at each other. Kill me? Seriously? At least Bella got the chance to become a vampire. But then, this wasnt a book, I wasn't Bella, and Kurt was a far cry from Edward. Maybe I should stop basing my descisions on a fictional romance?

But in another situation, I could see myself as the heroine of a novel. And Kurt would make an excellent hero, I suppose... Although the attitude would never work, his looks were flawlessly perfect for the part. His average yet appealing lips, his perfect chin, the pale skin-not a blemish in sight- and his eyes... The same deep, unsettling, crimson. Framed by those dark lashes...

Heat seared my cheeks and I dropped my gaze in embarrasment and defeat. This couldn't be treated like a story. Life never worked out that way, no matter what movies and books tried to make you think. There was a reason it was called 'fiction'. And how could I have been admiring his face? This was the same guy that had me pinned to his furniture not too long ago.

Assuming he won the unofficial stare-down, Kurt straightened, turned, and went down the hall. "Lock the door on your way out." My eyes flashed up and I watched him in detest. Lock the door on my way out... the jerk! I reached behind me, opened the door, locked it, and shut it back. He stopped. A shiver shot up my body. Why had I done that? I would have left right then, but I was frozen to the spot.

Kurt turned his head back to me, eyes fixed on mine. I felt a chill skitter down my spine. He stared, eyes cold and suddenly-disturbingly-empty. I grasped wildly for something to say.

"Uhhhh..."

It actually came out as more of an unattractive sound rather than a word. Weirdly set off by that, everything was thrown into perspective. I shut my eyes tightly and lowered my head. "Dammit." I muttered.

Why did it always go like this? Just when I needed to be at my best, just when I needed everything to go perfectly, I screwed up. And now everything was completely ruined with Kurt and it was all my fault.. and I had blamed him. Damn, I was stupid. Tears of regret burned my eyes. I squeezed my fists as hard as I could. I wasn't going to cry on top of everything else. I wasn't.  
Then I felt icy cold fingertips on my cheek. I gasped, eyes flying open in shock, jumping back into the door. Kurt was barely inches away now, hand still hovering in the air. His eyes were wide, too, as if my reaction had been as much a suprise to him as it had to me. "Sorry." I said apologetically. His eyes closed and he dropped his hand. Breathing out a sigh, he said, "Do you know how hard this is for me?" His eyes opened, trained on my face. "I don't want to kill you. And yet if I don't... you have no idea how bad things could get."

"Tell me." I pressed. He just shook his head. I took a deep breath, hoping what I was about to say wouldn't make things worse. "Look, no matter what happens... I'll still be your friend."

He looked deep into my eyes, his face slipping into a morose expression. He said nothing more but turned to leave me again. This time I, too, made my exit. Today I would let him think about whatever troubled him so much about everything.  
I did mean it, you know.

True, sometimes he made me want to stake him, cut off his head, and force feed it garlic...

But at other times he was the closest thing I had to a friend. And if he did betray my trust and spill my secrets- Well, I had pretty potent dirt on him now, too.

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Song: It's Not Me It's You~

Three R's! 33333 Author's Note:  
This may not be the best chapter in the whole story and I may leave a few things unanswered for now, but it was vital as to getting them together again and facing some important truths. Like his identity as a vampire; and her feelings for him. 3 I hope you understand this and, although it wasnt my favourite to write-It was an important part of the story-But now we can get back to the fun ;3 ILY! And I really appreciate you reading this story :) Thank-you333

Also, for your wonderful support I'll add the next chapter along with this one ;) 


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, I had slept hardly any; spending most of the night debating my new concerns. Like, was it such a good idea to be around a vampire so often? And how to be around him without putting myself into any compromising or life threatening situations.

But then, I guess the whole thing was life threatening. I had no idea how good he was at resisting temptation. What if I got a papercut like Bella-Would he go into a frenzy?

But he had seen my cut at school. How close had I been to dying right then? And he had resisted killing me in the forest...

I had decided that if he could hold back then, he could be trusted to keep from killing me other times as well.

How long had it taken him to develop that kind of restraint? How old was he? Older than my dad? Older than my grandparents? Great grandparents?

These thoughts had my stomach churning. I had hoped that learning his secret might make things easier.. but, it had only made things more complicated. Still, as long as he could move past what had happened and how stupid I had been, then I guess I could face anything that being his friend brought, too.

Friend...

The thought flipped around in my brain. I had never actually had a friend before. I once knew a girl who talked to me more than anyone else did, but she committed suicide Junior year... We were never really this close, though.

I was also worried about Kurt's sadistic side and the fact that it was something I most deffinately did not like. Of course that would only be a problem if he could accept my erratic behaviour and give me another chance. Today I would find out.

It was Friday, and how he acted at school would decide whether I faced another weekend of loneliness or not. I stopped mid-step. I had been alone every weekend lately... He was having more of an impact on my life than I thought. My mind started to itch restlessly. "Woahh, keep a grip on yourself, Mazia. Trust. Lesson one, Trust." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I grinned. "Kurt, you would be so proud of me."

I ignored the cautious feeling this time and went downstairs. The kitchen was empty. Vanessa must have left for work early. I walked to the door, opened it, and stepped back in suprise. There was Kurt! Behind him was his little black car parked in my driveway. He smiled, "I thought you might need a ride to school."

A grin spread slowly across my face. Things were going to be okay.

The rest of the day passed quickly. Classes started and were over faster than they had ever been before. I felt like I was walking on air. But at the same time it felt like there was a weight deep in the pit of my stomach. I chose not to acknowledge it.

Maybe it was simply my curiousity of what today's lesson would be? Or the worry that it would be as frustrating as the others? Or the awareness of the fact that he was a vampire...

I silently wondered if anyone else had ever found out his secret. Had he killed them? The thought of Kurt killing didnt leave me feeling reasurred...

But I could always ask him later...

If I really wanted to know the answer...

When school ended I went in search of Kurt. I found him in the library. Hunched over a desk with papers spread in front of him. I leaned over his shoulder, "What's this?" He only acknowledged my question by nodding. "Hello?" I poked his cheek. He frowned and looked up at me, "What is it?" "What are you working on?"

He glanced down and then back up at me and answered,"The English Assignment." I stared blankly at the papers. "What English Assignment?" One of his eyebrows rose. "The English assignment. 10,000 words by Tuesday, ring a bell?" "...No." "Then I suggest you get to work on it." He said, turning back to his work.

I bit my lip thoughtfully, "I'm not really much of one for assignments..." "Then how do you manage to pass classes?" "I borrow someone else's..." He faced me again, frowning, "You cheat?" "No, I get them online. It's perfectly legal." "How do expect to learn anything if you get all the answers online?" "I read them as I copy them down." "You know I should report this to the principal." "But you won't." He sighed and shook his head, returning to his work, "You should find better material if you're going to cheat, I've seen your grades." I made a face and sat down beside him.

Minutes passed as his pen sailed across the paper. He wrote, erased, and rewrote. Stopped, concentrated, chewed his lip, and started again. I propped my head up with my hand until my arm fell alseep, then I layed my head down on the table. A bit too hard. My forehead hit the table with a painful thump. He stopped writing and stared at me,"Are you okay?" I kept my face down and gave a muffled reply. Reassured that I was fine, he returned to his writing. I stayed still until I couldn't stand it any longer.

I sprang up and said, "I'm going to go for a walk." "Stay out of the bad neighborhoods." He said absently, still writing.

There was a cool breeze when I went outside. The birds were singing. The sun was shining. I briefly considered going back inside, but was suddenly struck with a craving for something fizzy. A Pepsi perhaps? Or maybe a Dr Pepper? I tried to remember where the nearest store was. Finally I decided to go to a cheap little restaurant down the street called Bubba's. It never seemed to have many customers, but it had been there for as long as I can remember. I always wondered how it managed to stay in business. They had a special which they claimed they were famous for, but I had tried it once and it made me sick.

I strolled down the street and checked my wallet for money. It contained two one dollar bills, a dime, and some lint balls. Enough for a Dr Pepper anyway.

After my slightly warm, but refreshing, fizzy drink, I headed back to the school. I stared at the sidewalk as I walked, looking for change, bugs, or anything else even slightly interesting. A noise reached my ears and I paused on the steps.

There it was again..

A cat meowing.

I stepped off the stairs and followed the sound. Turning the side of the school building, I knelt looking for the cat and said soothingly, "Here kitty, kitty. It's okay, come out, I won't hurt you. Here kitty, kitty, kitty."

Suddenly the cat ran by me. Running from something...

"Here kitty, kitty." Came a sickeningly familiar voice from behind me. I straightened quickly and spun around. Sure enough, there was Rick, grinning evily at me.

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Song: Arms~Christina Perry

Three R's!333 


	11. Chapter 11

I stepped backwards in horror. "What do you want, Rick?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know.

"What do I want? You insulted me in front of everyone; nobody does that. And you think I'm going to let you get away with it?" He laughed once, "Not a chance. What I want is revenge."

I turned to make my escape but there were two of his friends behind me. I was trapped.

I looked back at Rick, scared, but trying not to show it, "Dont do this. Please." He just smiled and shook his head, "It's too late now." He stepped forward and I bolted to the left. "Get her!" He shouted.

One of his friends grabbed me and wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me tight. I struggled to get free, but my strength was no match for his. Rick was standing in front of me now. He held my chin as he brought his face to mine. "You're going to pay, don't make things worse than they already are." He brought his mouth to mine but before he could kiss me I kicked him. Hard. He cursed and grabbed my face. "I will hurt you if you do that again, bitch!" I stopped struggling for a second but then started back up again; the alternative was not something I had any desire to explore.

He pulled my face to his and kissed me, hard and rough. When he broke free I sneered at him, "Stop this now or I'll be the one to hurt you!" He smirked and said,"You aren't in a position to threaten me." He leaned in close and traced his hand down my cheek. "You couldn't hurt me anyway." "You let me go and see just how much I can hurt you!" My face was hot and anger boiled in my blood. I could feel that fury building again. "Aw c'mon, May, cant you try to be at least a little feminine?" I growled and pulled harder, trying to get free.

The minute I got loose Rick was going to die. A slow painful death.

He touched my face again and I tried to bite his hand. He shook his head and smiled. I started cursing at him. He glanced back and said,"Let's hurry this up guys. I've got to be somewhere." He turned to the guy who wasn't holding me and said,"Get her legs." He obeyed and moved in front of me. I kicked at him violently. He managed to get hold of my legs and held them up off the ground. Then Rick started unzipping my jeans. I knew what was coming next. Ice slid through my veins.

"KURT!" I screamed as loud as I could. I pulled against them with every bit of strength I had. "Shut her up!" Rick commanded. The guy who was nearest to my face strained to cover my mouth with his hand while trying not to let me go. I twisted my face away and screamed again, "KURT, HELP ME!"

Rick was beginning to pull my pants down when suddenly he was pushed away. The guy holding my legs was jerked back by his collar and thrown onto the ground. Kurt was at my side in that same moment and gripped the other guy by his shirt. "Let. Her. Go." He growled.

The instant I was released I bolted forward and attacked Rick. "Hey, Stoppit! Get her off me!" He screeched as I puched him and drug my fingernails across his skin. "You stupid, filthy, slimy bastard!" I yelled.

Someone pulled me up before I had a chance to gouge out his eyes. My madness pulsed through every inch of my body. I wanted Rick to pay. In the worst ways possible. But a strong cold arm around my waist held me back. "Mazia, calm down." "Did you see what they were trying to do to me?! Kill them, Kurt, kill them!" I turned my head to look at Kurt, eyes bright with fury. He looked down at me, face smooth. Why wasn't he angry? Why wasn't he doing anything? "I saw, Mazia, but this isnt the way to deal with it."

I tried to break free, "How could you protect them?!" "I'm not protecting them, but beating them up, or killing them, won't fix anything."

Footsteps drew my attention away from Kurt and I twisted my head around to see Rick running away.

"Youre going to pay for this!" I lashed out at him with all my might, but Kurt held me back. Tears suddenly flooded my eyes and I felt my anger draining away to weakness. Rick did all of that to me and I couldn't stop him... And now he was getting away with it and Kurt wouldn't stand up for me. He was going to get away with it... That wasnt fair.

"Why are you letting him get away with it?" I asked quietly, looking at the ground. "I'm not." Was the quick reply. Kurt stepped forward and carried me with him to the front of the school. Then he sat me down on the steps. I sagged and let my head hang low. I felt utterly helpless to do anything. Sure, I could make a run for it, but what was the point now? Kurt would have me again before I even landed one blow.

I folded my arms across my chest. I felt so violated... How could Kurt not do anything? How was anything Rick did right?

It wasn't. But he wasn't being punished for it. How could he do something like that to me in the first place? And why; revenge for a little humiliation? Obviously I had greatly misjudged him.

Kurt sat down beside me. I rested my arms on my knees and turned away. "Mazia." He put his hand on my back and I stiffened. He dropped the hand but leaned closer to me. "Mazia, don't be like this."

"How am I supposed to be?" I asked, voice slightly wet from crying. "Don't let it get to you. Something like this... It needs to be forgotten." I shot a vicious glare at him, "Easy for you to say." "I mean, if you let it keep you down, you're going to retreat further and further into a shell." "Why didn't you kill him?" He blinked. "What?" "Why didn't you get mad because of what they did to me and kill him?" "If I had killed him... What would that change?" "I would feel better." "What about his family? Or his friends? What about the people that actually care about him?" "They have no idea what he's really like obviously." "A lot of parents still love their kids after they've done something wrong." "Not something like this." "Yes, something like this." "Then they're idiots."

"What about the cops? The ones that would be out looking for his murderer? Or his body, if we chose to hide it." "We'd just do it so he couldn't be found." "What would his family think about that?" I stayed silent. He continued,"You would commit them to a life of misery.. Wondering where their son is, what happened to him, if he's even alive... Just so you'd 'feel better'? How is that right any more than what he did to you?"

He waited for an answer but I seethed, "It doesn't matter, you don't care enough to kill him for me anyway." He sighed,"I do care." "Obviously not. You don't care what happens to me. And you don't care what anyone does to me." "Mazia, look at me."

I hesitated, but turned my head ever so slightly to look at him. His eyes held mine and he spoke, "I do care what happens to you. And, if this were a different situation, I deffinately would have killed him. But I have to be very careful about things like that. You of all people can understand why. There are other ways to fix this than to kill him; but I won't let him get away with it, I assure you." His sincerity rang in every word and I couldn't help believing him.

"All right." I said quietly. It didn't make everything okay, but I knew he would make Rick regret it, at least.

Kurt put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him. "Let's cancel lessons for today." He said. I buried my head in his chest and closed my eyes.

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Song: Head Like A Hole~Nine Inch Nails

Three R's 3 Read, Review, and Read on ^^ 


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